Community Indicators Report Released: Recovery on the Horizon

On March 31 the acclaimed 2011 Orange County Community Indicators Report will be released at the OC Forum luncheon titled, “2011 Outlook: The Road to Recovery and Reform,” featuring panelists Curt Pringle, Lucy Dunn, Steve PonTell, and moderator Rick Reiff. You can access the report online today, at www.ocbc.org/research. Highlights of the report include:

Orange County is now the sixth largest county in the nation, with a population of 3,166,461.

OC’s unemployment rate remains below state and national averages at 8.9%.

The County of Orange receives substantially less of the typical property tax dollar (13%) than peers like San Francisco County (71%) and L.A. County (24%).

One of the most important research publications in Orange County, the Community Indicators Report provides readers with an inside look at the overall well-being of the Orange County community – tracking business climate, health, education, public safety, and the status of our valuable natural environment. In partnership with the Children and Families Commission of Orange County and the County of Orange, OCBC’s Dr. Wallace Walrod provides research for the highly regarded report.

Over the years, we have learned how quickly conditions can change. For example, we have experienced the gamut of economic realities – from boom to bust. This year, the impact of the extended economic recession is reflected in nearly every indicator related to Orange County’s business climate.

Thankfully, recovery appears to be on the horizon. However, it will take time and hard work for businesses, local governments, and non-profit organizations to regain fiscal health. Public finance issues in particular loom large, with budgets strained to the breaking point, creating considerable momentum at the local, state and national levels in the realignment and reform of government finance, service delivery, and pension obligations.

For more information contact Dr. Wallace Walrod, Vice President of Research and Communications.